Sliding protecting shade for store shelves



Oct. 5, 1937.

R. F. BURDO SLIDING PROTECTING SHADE FOR STORE SHELVES Filed May 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 5, 1937. R. F. BURDO 2,094,940

SLIDING PROTECTING SHADE FOR STORE SHELVES Filed May 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNETEE STATES ears caries Rolland F. Burdo, Toledo, Ohio Application May 6,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to store furniture and more particularly to a sliding shade for housin and protecting all kinds of goods on store shelves or in display cases, cabinets and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a protecting shade of simple and inexpensive construction adapted to be positioned on a store shelf or within display cabinet and which will effectually protect the goods on display from dust and dirt, while, at the same time, permitting clear visibility thereof and ready access thereto at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protecting shade comprising coacting tracks between which is slidably mounted a flexible transpa nt shield or curtain movable manually to rent positions of vertical adjustment with respect to the store shelf or cabinet and which may be held in any desired position of adjustment without the employment of catches, springs, or other operating devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of guard which performs the dual function of preventing inward movement or buckling of the guide tracks and as a means for preventing the deposit of dust and dirt on the shelf or on the goods displayed thereon when the flexible curtain is in lowered position. 7

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase heir utility, durability and eiflciency.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings,

Figure l is a perspective view of a display case or cabinet provided with a sliding protecting shade constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View, taken on t e 'l2 of Figure 1.

pure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the guard strip back of the track flanges the curvature of the curtain reinforcing strips.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the guide tracks dust guard removed, the several parts being shown a position ready to be assembled.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the flexible shield or curtain.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view showing the device applied to a store shelf.

The improved protecting shade or curtain forming the subject-matter of the present invention may be used in connection with cabinets or cases 1936, Serial No. 78,253

for displaying goods and the like or applied to store shelving and in Figure l of the drawings is shown in connection with a. display cabinet of conventional construction, in which 5 designates the top, ifthe side walls, "3 the bottom or shelf, and S the supporting legs.

The device comprises spaced guide tracks 9 and is adapted to be positioned against the end walls of the cabinet and extend transversely beneath the top thereof and vertically at the front of the cabinet. The guide tracks are preferabiy stamped or otherwise formed from sheet metal and 'are substantially U-shape in cross section with the open sides of the tracks facing each other, as best shown Figure 4 of the drawings. Each guide track is preferably formed in two sections it and i2 having laterally extending flanges it formed at the junction of the curved portions thereof and provided with registering openings it for the reception of a bolt or simiiar fastening device 55 whereby the sections may be rigidly secured together. The lower end of the track section it is formed with an angularly disposed attaching foot it adapted to be secured to the adjacent surface of supporting shelf '5, while the track section 52 is provided with a similar depending attaching foot ll which is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the rear wall of the cabinet, as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Slidably mounted between the guide tracks s and i8 is a vertically movable shield or curtain l8 preferably formed of clear transparent number twenty Plastacele, although any other transparent flexible material may be used if desired. The upper and lower edges of the curtain it are reinforced by metallic strips is which preferably project slightly beyond the adjacent edges of the curtain and fit within the open sides of the track and serve to guide the'curtain when moved to either raised or lowered position. The lower reinforcing strip is provided with a fingerpiece or loop 20 so that the curtain may be readily grasped to facilitate operating the same.

In order to prevent the entrance of dust and dirt into the interior of the cabinet when the curtain i3 is in loweredposition, I provide a guard 2| preferably in the form of a flat metallic strip, the opposite ends of which are slotted, at 22, and adapted to fit over the adjacent securing bolts I5. either be interposed between the flanges [3 as shown in Figure 2 or bear against the back of said flanges as shown in Figure 3, the bolts l5 in each case when tightened serving to hold the guard in a fixed position. This guard 2| acts The slotted ends of the guard 21 may r V r V the upper end of the curtain to travel in the E 7 horizontal portions of the' guide tracks fliandi'lfl 'A device constructed in accordance'with the and as the upper longitudinal edge of the guard 2 l rrests snugly against'the lowersurface. of the top 5'of the cabinet, said guard acts as adusta proof barrier to prevent dirt and other 'foreign particles from entering at the top 'qf the, cabinet rand damaging-the goods displayed therein when the curtain is lowered} a 7 As the iupper'a nd lower reinforcing strips of the curtain are curved transversely and friction- V ally'engage the walls of the guide tracks, said curtain-ca'n besecurelyeheld in any'positionofr adjustment without the employment of catches,

springs 'and the like. I c

. In operation, if it is desired I to'goods or other; commodities displayed within the cabinet, itris merelynecessary'to grasp the handle and exert a slight upward pressure on the lower end of the curtain III which will cause V ing a body open at its front a'nd including a dis play shelf and a flexibl'e' curtain 'for closing the I open front of thejbody, j'guide', tracks for" the immediately beneath the, top of the cabinet" so "that t access "may be rea dilyr had to the goods within the cabinet, When the curtain is {moved a .Ito lowered;' position,'thenierchandise within the i 7 V adjo'inin'g lends provided withoonfronting'up-L cabinet will be clearly visible thro ugh saidrcurrtain; while, at the same time; said merchandise 6 will be thoroughly protected from dustfdirt'andh fromthe interior of -the cabinet is 1 further en ether foreign matter and this eXC1l1SiOn -0f dust handed-by the. provision of j the guard 2 I which;

7 as.previously'stated,prevents the possibility of f dust entering at the topof the cabinet when the :curtain is lowered. l r

- 'If,lihe cabinet is providedewith two or more 7 display'shelves; individual tracks and individual curtains may be provided for "each'shelf, ifdesired I In Figure, 6 of tecting shade is shown applied to a conventional form OffStOIe shelving 23ifor' the purpose of pro-'- teeting goods displayed on saidshelvinjg 'In store Q'shelv'ingthespace immediately above each shelf is often'of greater height than the width of the shelfland whenthis is the case; I provideauxile is" moved to open position, asfvvill be readily understood; 7

iary tracks 24'whichmay be fastened tothe' track; sections I72 b'y'fian'ges' 25 through which extend bolts or similar' fasteninggdevices 26.; The auxiliary'track 24' serves to receive and guidethe adja-' 7 cent end of the curtainin parallel relation tothe rear iwallfof the store shelving when the-curtain present invention will not onlyefiectively house and protect goods supported on a store shelf or within a idisplaylc'abinet but will permit" clear visibility jot-the goods at all times withoutxth employment of glass or other :ira'ngible r'nateriaLj as at present;

device may be changed or varied at will without departing fr'om the spirit of the invention.

' portions extendingrearwardly against the top of to obtain access "constituting a guard extending across the top g V a V 1 -V V r .is in a lowered position. the drawings, the sliding pro} r bar of flat metal extending across the top of the constituting a dust barrier between the curtain V and the ijo-rward edge? portion of the top'wall of c the tracks in place; 7

Having thusdescribedthe invention, what' is claimed as newis:

of the body; guide tracksfo r Vthe curtain formed 7 separate from therbody and rising fromiopposite ends of 'said shelf against sidewalls of the body at the open front of the body and having upper the body, ends of the tracks being secured against the shelf and the back'of the body, and a strip carried by and connecting the'guide tracks at r the upper end of; the open front of the body ands, serving as a brace for thetrack, said strip bear-i ing against the top of the body over the curtain and co'nstituting'a guard for preventing the entrance of dust to the interior of thebody when i j,

the curtain is in thelowered position. a

2. In combination with a display icabinet' hav it curtain disposed 'ata'opposite ends: of the bo'dy and each comprising Iavertical section j and an I upper horizontal section, fsaidsections having 7 posed betweensaid tongues oflthe' sections and r slottedftofreceive"the securing bolts, said strip of the open front of thelbodyrandadapted to' blockrspace between-the top wall of thebody and *saidQcurtain forpreventing the entrance of j 7' dust to the'int erior o-fgth'e body Whenthe curtain 3; In combination .with ea display cabinet hav ing a body open at its front "and including :a'

display shelf and at fieirible' curtain for closing the open front of" the body, guide tracks for the t curtain; formed of: channel metal substantially. U-shape in cross section', said'tracks being. disextending diagonally disposed tongues, bolts ex tending through said tongues, a laterally inclined open front of the body and o'arriedrs'olely by the; 7 tracks and secured at its'tends by said boltsfand forming a brace between the guide tracks at the adjoining ends of the sections thereof; said bar thebody; the tracks and, said bar being formed l minals adapted to receive fasteners for securing" ROLLAND VFVQBURDOV. V

vposed at opposite ends of the cabinetaiong the L i v 7 front edges and upper edges of the end'walls' of the'bo'dy and having .theiropen sides facingfeach' 

